Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence


The Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence, formerly known as the Arthur Ellis Awards, are a group of Canadian literary awards, presented annually by the Crime Writers of Canada for the best Canadian crime and mystery writing published in the previous year. The award is presented during May in the year following publication.
Originally, the awards were named for Arthur Ellis, the pseudonym of several of Canada's official hangmen, the first and most famous being Arthur B. English. The award statuette was designed by actor and theatre designer Peter Blais.
In 2021 the Crime Writers of Canada announced that they were retiring Arthur Ellis's name from the awards, renaming them to their current name.

Best Novel

YearAuthorTitleRef.
1984'
1985Murder Sees the Light
1986Death in the Old Country
1987Buried on Sunday
1988Swann
1989Jack
1990Hot Shots
1991'
1992Past Reason Hated
1993Lizardskin
1994Gypsy Sins
1995'
1996Mother Love
1997Innocent Graves
1998Trial of Passion
1999Old Wounds
2000'
2001Cold Is the Grave
2002In the Midnight Hour
2003Blood of Others
2004'
2005Fifth Son
2006April Fool
2007Honour Among Men
2008Trumpets Sound No More
2009Too Close to Home
2010High Chicago
2011Bury Your Dead
2012Before the Poison
2013Until the Night
2014'
2015Plague: Murder Has a New Friend
2016Open Season
2017'
2018Sleeping in the Ground
2019Though the Heavens Fall
2020Greenwood
2021'
2022Under an Outlaw Moon
2023Anthony BidulkaGoing to Beautiful
2024Loreth Anne WhiteThe Maid's Diary

Best First Novel

Best Novella

Best Crime Book in French

Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime Book

Best Crime Nonfiction

Best Crime Short Story

Best Unpublished First Novel – "Unhanged Arthur"

First awarded in 2007 as part of the CWC mandate to recognize and promote the careers of promising new crime writers.
YearAuthorTitleRef.
2007Margarita Nights
2008
2009Louder
2010
2011Better Off Dead
2012Last of the Independents
2013Sins Revisited
2014Cold Girl
2015Strange Things Done
2016When the Flood Falls
2017
2018Destruction in Paradise
2019
2020
2021
2022Elmington

Howard Engel Award

Derrick Murdoch Award

This is a special achievement award for contributions to the genre of crime and mystery writing, awarded at the discretion of the president of the Crime Writers of Canada. When first presented in 1984, it was known as the Chairman's Award; it was later renamed in honour of its first recipient, Derrick Murdoch. Since 2013, it has only been presented in years when the new biennial Grand Master Award, listed below, is not presented.
The Grand Master Award is presented every two years as a lifetime achievement award, to a crime writer with a distinguished and successful national and international career.
  • 2014 – Howard Engel
  • 2016 – Eric Wright
  • 2018 – Gail Bowen
  • 2020 – Peter Robinson
  • 2022 – Louise Penny

    Best Play

The award for Best Play has only been presented once.